December, Tropics (December 15th, 10:30 p.m. local time)

Western Horizon
Eastern Horizon

West

We're still about the sky of the autumnal equinox, albeit the winter solstice is occurring next December 22nd. Hence the sky we are seeing is still belonging to the equinox, albeit heralding the solstice. See, northwest, how the Great Square of Pegasus is still visible, along with the line of Andromeda, to its upper right. It's there that you'll be able to spot M31 -the grey oval on the chart- the famed Andromeda Galaxy. The capital Greek E-shaped Cassiopeia is further northwest. The faint chain of Pisces is another fine sight, to the upper left of the Great Square of Pegasus. The bright star, southwest, is Fomalhaut, of Piscus Austrinus, the Southern Fish. Higher, it's Cetus, the Whale, which is anchoring to one of the bents of Eridanus, the River Eridanus. Get to Eridanus. See how this celestial river is meandering a long way, from Rigel, of Orion, down to Achernar, this bright star just over the southern horizon. There, it's still the best time for both the Magellanic Clouds, those companion galaxies to our Milky Way galaxy, as those two objects will never get much higher at the equator and the tropics. Typical, small southern constellations are seen too in the neighbourhood, like Horologium, the Clock, or Phoenix, the Phoenix. to a printer-friendly chart
West for the mid-northern latitudes. West for the mid-southern latitudes

East

See how southeast, the constellations which were parted from the old, large constellation of Argo, the Ship, are rising. They will rise higher to take the place they have during the solstice sky. This bright region is continued to the upper left, by Canis Major, the Great Dog, Orion -this famed constellation- and Taurus, the Bull. A row lower Auriga, the Charioteer, Gemini, the Twins and the small Canis Minor, the Little Dog, with the bright Procyon, are other targets of interest. to a printer-friendly chart
East for the mid-northern latitudes. East for the mid-southern latitudes

(color maps with Stellarium; printer-friendly charts with Cartes du Ciel, Patrick Chevalley)